Fuel Pump?

[aroncull]

97- I6 sport 140k lots of goodies under the hood....

OK so maybe a month ago I filled up at the gas station and then the jeep wouldnt start. Turned over just fine... over and over... but just wouldnt catch. When I towed it home I was able to put a bit of brake cleen [non chlor] into the TB and she fired right up and hast been a problem since.

Until today.

I was at a drive through waiting forever for my food and the jeep just died, one second running. Next Dead. 3/4th tank of gas. So since it had happened to me before I had the brake cleen with me. This time I tried it and it didnt work. After messing with it for awhile... trying again and again to squirt a little BC into the TB. I decided to climb up and rock the jeep back and forth by standing on the rocker guards. I thought that maybe it would shook up the fuel or the pump or whatever.I rocked it good. Then I got in and she started after one little huff and then vroom total engine started action.

So I have my thoughts about the fuel pump. When the tank is full and I park at an incline nose down, the tank leaks. Not alot but it leaks. Additionally the fuel guage works then doesnt work, works then doesnt. So the sender is loose or well, I dont know. I called around and got the same prices for the pump or the whole assembly. All of them where bosch and 250 ish for the pump and 500 for the whole assembly. I realised that the gasket was clearly toast. I just wondering if you guys think it sounds the fuel pump too? maybe some junk and dirt got into the tank since the gasket is bad..

sorry guys i just thought that i would verify before i spend..

Thanks,

Aaron:bawl:

 

[R_jeep]

i dont know the same has been happening to mine and i thought the same. its a 98 and i can hear the pump kick on and it pulled up some codes that did not trigger a check engine light. my relay connections at the power distibution center under the hood were loose. check your relays and such. i had such a day today dealing with it. but i got it figured out as to what it is. im gonna check out if any service bulletins are out for the pdc in relation to a loose elec. connection. just a thought.

 

[RyanM]

I thought all brake clean these days is non-flammable :gee:

IIRC there is a 97(may include 98) on the fuel pump and the sending unit.
My Pump finally quit after a fill up as well, made changingg it fun.

 

[aroncull]

um.. a recall?

>IIRC there is a 97(may include 98) on the fuel pump and the sending unit.<

Thanks

 

[Tim_MN]

First do the basics-
-Tune up if it has been more than 30,000 miles since the last one.
-Have the battery checked for a dead cell.
-Remove, clean, and tighten all the starting and charging wires and connections.
-Make sure all the ground wires are hooked up.

Next time it does the no start, immediately check for fuel pressure (hear the pump prime at key on?) and spark. Sounds more like a TPS problem.

Then fix the fuel tank problems.

 

[aroncull]

First do the basics-

-Tune up if it has been more than 30,000 miles since the last one.

I have mostly new ignition components less then 15k ago.
From Plug to coil all new.
Plug, wires, rotor, cap, coil.

-Have the battery checked for a dead cell... OK. Its a Optima red top... but yeah ill check it. They are not invincible.

-Remove, clean, and tighten all the starting and charging wires and connections.
Will do. I put on all new bettery cablesabout a year ago too. I will look around.

-Make sure all the ground wires are hooked up.

Next time it does the no start, immediately check for fuel pressure (hear the pump prime at key on?) and spark. Sounds more like a TPS problem.

I just, just replaced my 2nd TPS.. I have hood vents and was stuck on the highway in a super big rain storm totally killed the tps. The 1st one went out after a super big snow storm... it was old I thought anyways.

So yeah its new like less then 300 miles on it.. maybe the CPS too? i dont know..

thanks

Aaron

Then fix the fuel tank problems.

 

[RichP]

97 had a recall on the sender, my 98 which was built in sept of 97 was not covered. Back then it came as a complete assembly, now I understand you can get the sender as a seperate item. I'd fix the leak first.

 

[aroncull]

they looked up my xj by VIN and it came back with no open recalls.

Is there something else this could be? I need to fix this as my DD is also out of comission right now.

Fuel pump?
I have yet to find the sender by itself.
Whole assembly?

do you think it could be sensore related such as a CPS or ... well something else...

 

[xjbubba]

-Tune up if it has been more than 30,000 miles since the last one.

Next time it does the no start, immediately check for fuel pressure (hear the pump prime at key on?) and spark. Sounds more like a TPS problem.--"

Did you check the fuel pressure, as suggested by Tim_mn?
Can you here the pump run when you first turn the key on?

 

[aroncull]

it works fine right now. Its an intermittant problem.

Has happened twice, randomly. Not sure how to check it when its working.

Would this also be symptomatic of the CPS? that was mentioned to me...

 

[Tim_MN]

Next time it does the no start, immediately check for fuel pressure (hear the pump prime at key on?) and spark. Sounds more like a TPS problem.

.

My bad, I can't type. I meant to type CPS, Crank Postion Sensor. No CPS signal, no spark and fuel pump doesn't run. Can be a random and intermittent problem.

 

[aroncull]

thanks,

How hard is the CPS to replace?

Its on the bell housing I think, I heard. I dont know.

Dont have the repair book handy but will check in a bit.

Thanks,

Aaron

 

[Tim_MN]

The easiest way to replace the CPS is to get about 36 inches or more of socket wrench extensions, a wobble adapter and then the socket. From underneath the XJ with the socket wrench near the cross member loosen the bolts one at a time and make sure they don't fall into the bell housing. Swap out the CPS and put the bolts back.

You can do the job from the top but it take about 5 times longer because you use a box end wrench and you can only turn the bolts about 1/8 of a turn each time.

 

[ren]

You might want to try and "blow" the fuel lines clear. We just got another XJ that had, among some other issues, a random fuel problem. The problem turned out to be the fuel line was mostly stopped up. Blew it out, and now, it will start and run consistently. Just a thought.

 

[K9Cop]

You said your gas tank leaks, so if gas can get out, garbage can get in. If you have garbage in your fuel filter it could possibly cause an intermittant problem as well. Its less than $10 and easy to change.

 

[ren]

According to the sig., the XJ in question is a 1997. The fuel filter is in the tank, and part of the pump/sender assy. Not an easy (or cheap) fix on that one.

 

[aroncull]

Happened again and no trick has as of yet worked to get it running. Turns over fine. I replaced the CPS and still no change. I fixed the gas tank gasket and the pump's voltages were fine so i didnt change it.

Any other ideas why it wont kick in?

 

[Twisted XJ]

When it happens are you traveling or siting still? You said you have replaced the gasket, when you removed the assembly, did you look at the filter? if you were traveling when it cut out you might have pulled some garbage in . Press the fuel pressure release valve, then wait a minute or two. If it cranks up then you know your pump has released the garbage and opened up the fuel flow again. Change your pump filter. Cheap and available at most auto parts stores.

 

[5-90]

I thought all brake clean these days is non-flammable :gee:

IIRC there is a 97(may include 98) on the fuel pump and the sending unit.
My Pump finally quit after a fill up as well, made changingg it fun.

Big difference between "non-flammable" and "non-chlorinated." I think most of the non-chlorinated brake cleaner is methanol, with a little acetone or MEK mixed in.

Honestly, tho, I vastly prefer the thrichloroethane stuff - I have to use far less of it. What's the benefit to the environment if you use "environmentally friendly" solvents that make you use four times as much?

 

[aroncull]

This is really annoying. OK so exactly how do I Press the fuel pressure release valve on a 97 I6? I dont have the FSM but Chiltons guide says I need a guage to check pressure and that the TBI system releases fuel pressure when the system is off? I was hoping to find the valve somewhere. Am I confused that it doesnt have one? And yes i havnt looked as its the middle of the night and im happy sitting here and will check and look around in the morning but thought i would put that out there.
This last time it happened it was sitting in the driveway and had been driven 2 days before with no problems. Although come to think of it i came out to a nearly dead battery and nothing was left on [new optima yellow top] trickle charged it and now it holds the charge fine but i can only turn it over. so maybe if i can check the fuel relay? maybe it fried itself on or something and drained the battery? Well now im talking out loud about something I dont know is possible so sorry if thats horribly NEWB... HELP!